Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest – Predicted lineup and team news

In partnership with

The Football Faithful

·7 May 2026

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest – Predicted lineup and team news

Aston Villa aim to reach their first major European final in a generation when they host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Thursday.

Unai Emery’s men must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit following their defeat at the City Ground last week. Success in this tie would make them the first team to overturn a first-leg deficit against a domestic rival in a major European tie since 2016.

OneFootball Videos

The Villans are unbeaten in their last ten home meetings with the Tricky Trees across all competitions. Furthermore, they have won nine consecutive home games in major European competition.

Emery has a remarkable pedigree in this competition, having progressed from 22 consecutive two-legged ties in the Europa League. The hosts will rely on their strong home form to break down a compact Forest defence.

Aston Villa team news

Unai Emery is expected to restore his primary starters after his second string underwhelmed in the weekend loss to Tottenham. Ollie Watkins leads the list of returnees, while captain John McGinn should be available after missing Sunday’s match with a minor muscular problem.

Morgan Rogers remains a critical threat at Villa Park, having been involved in five goals in six home Europa League appearances this term. That said, the coaching staff must assess Amadou Onana as he continues to recover from a calf strain.

Ross Barkley is ineligible for the squad, and Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined with a long-term injury. Despite the recent run of three defeats, Villa Park remains a stronghold where the team has scored in 31 of their last 32 European fixtures.

In the absence of Kamara, Youri Tielemans and Lamare Bogarde could be asked to anchor the midfield. Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers are poised to support Watkins in the final third as the Villans hunt for early goals.